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BBC Monitoring
Russia: Prominent MP ponders aftermath of US terror attacks
Source: Russia TV, Moscow, in Russian 1625 gmt 15 Sep 01
MP Andrey Kokoshin, ex-chairman of the Russian Security Council, has said that the world is "to some extent in a state of war" as a result of the US terror attacks. He said NATO's military action in the vicinity of Russia's borders is unlikely to lead to its continued presence there in the future. Given the level of "threat to civilization", he called for a meeting of the heads of state from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council as a legitimate agency to tackle issues of such magnitude. The following is excerpt from Kokoshin's interview with Russia TV on 15 September:
[Presenter] Our guest is Russian State Duma deputy, Russian Security Council ex-Chairman, professional expert on America and correspondent member of Russia's Academy of Sciences Andrey Kokoshin.
Andrey Afanasyevich, straight away here's my first question: After what happened, we can expect a retaliatory strike by the USA. We know the psychology of the American nation. We know, we can imagine what the Americans want now. Given all that's happened, there will be retaliatory strikes. Will there be war?
[Kokoshin] I think that we already are to some extent in a state of war. The issue here is what political goals it will pursue. What we should now think about is how to make sure it is not on a scale that is absolutely unnecessary. Both the Americans and we ourselves should be thinking about it now. We are in quite a good position to advise them on the matter. Of course they will not always listen to what we have to say, but we should nonetheless do it.
Another issue is how the terrorists will then respond. Any operation should ensure that, at least for the next few years, there can be no response of any kind.
[Presenter] A question by email: Given a possible plan for NATO forces' deployment to Afghanistan from bases in Turkey and Great Britain, as seen in tonight's "Vesti" programme, do you think - it is a question to you, Andrey Afanasyevich, personally - that the US terror attacks and NATO's possible deployment to Afghanistan are links in the same chain, that is, that it is NATO's next step towards Russia's borders?
[Kokoshin] Given that Afghanistan is quite near Russia's borders, formerly bang on the Soviet border, if the operation takes this form then of course it will mean that NATO will approach Russia's borders. However, if such an operation does take place it will almost certainly not lead to a permanent NATO presence in the areas which will be used to launch the operation...
[Presenter] What should Russia now do in the political arena?
[Kokoshin] As far as we are concerned, it is a major issue indeed. In the situation, we must first of all take care of our own national interests.
First, we must learn the lessons of what happened in the USA, in particular the most immediate lessons on the way the respective services are run in Russia, and - with account taken of what the Americans are doing now - do all we can to prevent similar terrorist acts.
What is most important, however, is politics, that is, to resolve a whole raft of major political issues. President Putin has already said that the system now in place to provide for cooperation in the area is far from perfect. I think that it would be fundamentally important to us if we were to take the initiative in the organization of a meeting by the heads of state from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. It is a legitimate body. We need the same forum today as that organized by the founding fathers of the UN as they fought Nazism during World War II. The threat to humankind, to civilization is on the same scale...
So the task today is to assemble this body, in which China is also a member, the People's Republic of China. Without China, without India these issues cannot be resolved...
The top political leadership should formalize a brand new system of cooperation in the interest of global security...
[Question, by phone] With things as they are, what can be done to prevent World War III?
[Kokoshin] The probability of World War III in the traditional sense, as we had made ready for it for decades after World War II, is at present very insignificant. However, war now is of an altogether different nature. Terrorism, as manifested in this monstrous act, is becoming the main feature of war. There could certainly be a situation in which massive retaliatory strikes by the Americans would be followed by even more horrific acts of terrorism, with the use of bacteriological or chemical weapons...
So account should now be taken of the failure to prevent World War I and, even more so, World War II. What is required is the highest level of intellectual effort and willpower on the part of politicians...
" Terrorist Attacks on U.S. - How can you help?
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